Copyholder for billing machines



I 'May 27, 1930.

C.' R. DRAKE COPYHOLDER FOR BILLING MACHINES 4Filed Aprir?, 1927 s sheets-sheet 1- iNvENToR Mayv 27, 1930. c. R. DRAKE 1,760,403

COPYHOLDER FOR BILLING MACHINES Filed April 2. 1927 s sheets-sheet 2 May 27, 1930 C. R. IKJYRAKE 1,560,403

COPYHOLDER FOR BILLING MACHINES Filed April 2, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 5 ATTORNEYS and particularly to a copyholder whichis LPatented May 27, 1.930

UNITED 'sTATEs PATENT OFFICE y l CHARLES-.11. BRAKE, or ROCHESTER, NEw YORK, nSsIefNorv TOTHE LINEE-,A-TIME MEG. cosine., or noonEsrEa, NEWl YORK, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK l COPYHOLDER EOE. BILEiNG MACHINES Application led April 2, 1927. Serial No. 180,483.

'This invention relates to copyholders of the type in which a copy plate and a lineindicator Spanning the copy plate are moved relatively to eachother by mechanical means,

adapted for fuse with billing or tabulating machines and the like.

y The ordinary form of copyholder is adapt ed `to bemounted behind the machine with which it is being used on the table or desk,

manner of use is entirely satisfactory when or other support upon which the machine is mounted, and `to have its operating lever extending to a point in front of the machine Within easyrreach of the operator. Suche tliefmachine is an ordinary typewriter; however, some billing and tabulating machines areo suchiilength that if the oopyholder is placed behindthe machine it is usually diiii- 3 2o cult for the operator to read the subject matter being copied. Also, much ofthesub- -jectmatterto be copied by operators of billing and tabulating machines is-printed or written on relatively small cards or sheets i, oi paper which the ordinary type of copyholde-r is not Vadapted to handlesatisfactorily An object Oi this invention is to provide a copyholdero strong and durable construel tion-which may be conveniently used in con- 3o nection with billing machines andthe like,

Anotherfobject is to provide improved means for supporting a copyholder in an operative position relatively to a billing machine or the like, Another obj ect is to provide an improved attachment by means of which a copyholder may bev readily; adapted to handle small cards or sheets satisfactorily. Another object is to provide improved means for operating a oopyholder. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter; i l

In the accompanying drawings in which `is'shown one of the various possible embodi ments Ofthis invention,

Figure 1 is a front, elevation of the copyholder applied to a` billing machine;

Figure 2 is a side elevation similar to Fi ure l; i

i igure 1s a rear elevation ofthe copyholder; showing the supporting frame and the base which is adapted to support `the billing machine; y i b Figurel is a plan view of the supporting aser y Figure 5 is a plan view oi the foot treadle; `Figure 6 is a view taken substantially on line 6-6 oi Figure l;

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the card receptacle; and i Figure 8 is a sectional view oi the means ior locking the card receptacle in position on the copyholder. 'n z Similar reference characters referto similar parts throughout the several `views `of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings inn detail, there is shown a base comprising a substantially rectangular body portion l0 having arms 1l projecting from one side, and pro vided on its upper Surface with recesses l2 `for the reception oi the supporting` legs of a billing machine or the like. Discs 13 oi rubber or other soit material are attached to the lower face O the base for the purpose oit Spacing the said base from the table or desk or other support upon `which itr is mounted.

Two leg members 141: are mounted on each side p oi the base adjacent the end thereof and iorm brackets or supporting arms upon which the supporting frame l5 is rigidly mounted;

The frame 15 maybe best described, as comprising two substantially Ushaped members 16 and 17 rigidly connected together in such a manner that the leg portions of one member extend inwardly toward the leg portions oi the other member and the bottom portions 2O and 2l of the Us extend substantially parallel to each other. The U- shaped members each have a legportion attached to the upper end portion oi' a bracket formed by the supporting members'la, and

extend outwardly beyond the opposite side edges of the base. Thebottom portions 20 and 2l of the Us extend substantially verti- `17, consequently, the upper leg oi the member 16 is spaced'farther from the base than the upper leg of the member 17. Thus, substantially one-half of the upper portion of the frame 15 is spaced above the other half, and loops of different sizes are provided on opposite sides of the frame.

A copyholder 22 is-rigidly mounted on the upper e of the U-shaped member 17 by means` og screws or bolts 28 and a brace 29. The copyholder is provided lwith the usual. essential parts, such as a casing plate 23, copy plate 24, line indicator 25, paper holding clip 26, clutch rod 27, clutch member 30, lifting rodV 31, actuating lever 32, and suitable guide rods and holding and retarding mechanisms not shown. The actuatin lever 32 is operativelyconnected with theliiingrod and casing plate inthe usual manner, and its outer `end extends beyond a side edge of the copyholder and is pivotaliy attached to an end of an adjustable connecting rod 33 which is pivotally attached adjacent its other end to a foot treadle 34. The connecting rod 33-comprises two substantially identical portions which may be of the same length or of different lengths, and each of which has a threaded end portion. One of said end portions is provided with right hand threads and the other with left hand threads, and a suitably threaded sleeve 35 having a wing nut 36 rigidly mounted thereon, is mounted on the said end portions and provides means for adjusting the lengthV of the rod 33.

The treadle 34 is pvotally attached intermediate its ends to a bracket 37 which is adapted to be mounted on the floor. Foot pedals 40 and 41 are mounted on the treadle on opposite sides of the bracket 37. Thus by pressing down on the pedal 41 the actuating lever '32 may be moved upwardly to operate the lifting rod and thus raise the copy plate in the usual manner, and by pressing down on the pedal 40, the actuating lever may be moved downwardly to release the lifting rod'holding means in the usual man ner and thus permit the copy plate to move downwardly to its normal position. To 'provide for the satisfactory handling of small cards or sheets there is provided a substantially rectangular receptacle 42 having an open top for the insertion and withdrawal of the cards. The receptacle is formed in such a manner that there is an opening in the front wall through which the written or printed matter is visible, and the line indicator is adapted to cooperate with the cardsiin the usual manner. The receptacle is preferably formed from a blank of Sheet metal bent to form a rear wall 43, side wallsA 44, side llanges 45, a bottom wall 46, and a bottom flange 47 The flanges 45 and 47 are turned inwardly and form stop members for confining the cards within the receptacle. The rear wall is longer than the front flanges and the side walls are preferably beveled downwardly from a point adjacent the top of the rear wall to the tops of the flanges 45. F or attaching the receptacle 42`to the copy plate 24, there is provided a supporting member 50 attached to the outer face of the rear wall and having arms 51 projecting rearwardly from its opposite ends. One of the arms 51 is provided with a central bore in whichis mounted the rounded head portion of atrubber button 52. The member 52 has a circular base portion of greater diameter than the head portion, the outer face of whichnormally bears upon a side flange of the copy plate 24. Theothcr arm 51 has a 'thread bore or slot adjacent its outer end in which is mounted a screw 53. A rectangular plate 54 having a rubber button 52 mounted in an aperture therein is swiveled on the inner end portion'of the screw 53 in such a manner thatthe base of the button 52 is adapted for contact with the other side flange of the copy plate 24. One straight edge of the rectangular member 54 is normally held in contact with the rear face of the copy plate 24 and the rectangular member is thus held against rotation. The card receptacle may be placed in any desired position on the copyfplate by simply causing the arms 51 to embracethe copy plate in such a manner that the outer face of the supporting member 50 is substantially. in contact with the front face of the copy plate, and then turning the screw 53 until thev rubber buttons 52 bind upon the sides of the copy plate. The provision of rubber buttons permits the receptacle to be securely-held in place and prevents displacement incidental to the frequent jarring of the copy plate.

rlhe base and frame are preferably of such sizes that when a billing machine is .mounted on the base, the lower portions of the vframe 'are substantially in Contact with the sides of the machine, intermediate the ends thereof, and the looped portions yprovide clearance for the sliding carriage `of the machine. The larger loop is preferably of such a size that the operator may pass a hand therethrough to the levers at the rear of the machine. copyholder may be mounted upon the upper leg of the smaller loop portion with its lower end immediately adjacent the top of the machine. Thus, the copyholder is positioned in Such a manner relatively to the operating position of the operator that the subject matter mounted thereon is easily readable. The machine serves to aid in holding the copyholder steadily in position. The provision of a foot treadle for operating the copyholder eliminates the necessity for the usual hand operated lever and permits the operator to have free use of both hands lfor operating the, machine, slliifting cards in the card receptacle, and the li e. Y

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From the foregoing it will be seen that there is herein provided apparatus which embodies the features of this invention and achieves the objects thereof, including many practical advantages. Copy supporting apparatus has been provided which is thoroughly efficient and dependable in use and by means of which written or printed matter to be copied is supported in such a mann-er that it may be easily read by a machine operator.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention, and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all to said line indicator, and a card holder de- CHARLES R. DRAKE.

matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

l. A copyholder supporting frame comorisino' aV air of s aced brackets a substantially U-shaped member mounted on each of said brackets with the bottom portions of the Us extending substantially vertically and the leg portions extending inwardly, and means connecting the upper leg of one U-shaped member with the upper j leg of the other U-shaped member; the bottomportion of one of said Us being longer than the bottom portion of the other U.

2. An attachment for copyholders comprising a receptacle having spaced side arms mounted thereon for engaging the sides of `a copy plate, and relatively soft cushioning meansmounted on said 4siole arms for gripping cooperation with said copy-plate.

3. An attachment for copyhol'ders comprising a substantially rectangular receptacle, a supporting member mounted on said receptacle adjacent an end thereof, side arms mounted on said `supporting member adjacent the ends thereof and extending substantially at right angles thereto, and an adjusting `member mounted on one of said side arms.

. 4. An attachment for copyholders comprisl ing a` substantially rectangular receptacle having the central portion of its front wall removed, a supporting member mounted on the rear wall of said receptacle adjacent an end thereof, side arms mounted on said sup- .y porting member adjacent the ends thereof and extending rearwardly of therear wall of said receptacle, and an adjusting member threaded in one of said side arms.

5. In combination, a copyholder having a support, a line indicator on the support, a copy-plate movable on said support relative to said line indicator, and a card holder mounted on said copy-plate and movable therewith relative to the line indicator, said holder being adapted to support a card for movement relative to and in cooperation with said line indicator.

6. In combination, a copyholder having a support, a lineindicator on the support, a copy-plate movable on said support relative 

